disagree - I still think she is a problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of kurtrasmussen Sent: Saturday, April 09, 2005 7:30 AM To: rtf Subject: [RollTideFan] 'Ramp Lady' – UA's Notorious Fan Exposed
This is a printer friendly version of an article from www.datelinealabama.com To print this article open the file menu and choose Print. Article published Apr 9, 2005 'Ramp Lady' – UA's Notorious Fan Exposed Chad Hullett, staff reporter As I enter the University of Alabama's Coleman Coliseum, a queasy feeling enters my stomach. Normally this would be unusual, but this game is different. This time I am on a mission. This time I am here to find none other than "Ramp Lady," UA basketball's official overzealous fan. My last encounter with Ramp Lady was highly unpleasant. In all of her exuberance, she committed a crime against humanity. She picked on someone weaker than her. During this second game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers, I am sure that I will find "Ramp Lady" once again shouting and whooping it up for the home team. I arrive at the stadium early to find out more info about the infamous Ramp Lady. I walk around the student section, searching for someone who may have some information. For this, I enlist the help of the biggest basketball fans in the student body – "Mark's Madness." I dive into the sea of crimson T-shirts and signs armed only with my tape recorder and a few questions. After a bit of small talk, I find someone who is familiar with Ramp Lady and her escapades. Drew Shepherd, a senior at the University of Alabama, is highly familiar with Ramp Lady. "She stands on the ramp (at the football games) and does nothing but yell for Alabama," Shepherd said. "At the basketball games she gets anywhere she can stand." Alabama has had many an exuberant fan throughout the years. The two guys with the "Roll Tide" sticks -- really just boxes of Tide detergent with rolls of toilet paper on top -- resembling "Tweedle Dum" and "Tweedle Dee" come to mind. While fans like this are vital parts of the Alabama sporting experience, the actions of Ramp Lady at the last UA and Auburn game have caused me to doubt her place among genuine Bama fans. "I think she is [a vital part], some would say otherwise, but I think she definitely is," Shepherd said. I continued scouring the student section, looking for more insight on Ramp Lady. "She screams," said University student Patrick Walker. "She's like a freakin' banshee." "I haven't seen her at every basketball game, so she's pretty much a warm weather fan," Walker said. "I'm sure she's a nice lady and all, but she's just nuts. Walker said he never really heard her go too far because he doesn't think she knows any proper English language. While the comments are made purely in jest, Walker paints a picture of a woman who spoils the "fan experience" with her brand of high-pitched cheering and belligerence. "I don't think screaming makes you a big 'Bama fan," said UA basketball fan George Ruch. "She really detracts from my experience here at Coleman Coliseum; she detracts from the entire fan experience." Rush has gone so far as to even join a group on the popular inter-college student database thefacebook.com calling for Ramp Lady to be banned from all sporting events. "It's called 'Ban The Ramp Lady from All Bama Sporting Events,'" he said. "She has the right to come, but we should put her up in the rafters or something." With all of the negativity and negative opinions surrounding Ramp Lady, I decided to go to the fiery fanatic herself. I find Ramp Lady arguing with an usher, trying to get into the student section. "My real name is Rena Hayes, I'm from Prattville, Ala.," said the middle-aged Bama fan. She looks at me suspiciously as I ask her questions. "I just recently got into basketball about two years ago, but I don't miss a football game," Hayes said. "Everybody knows who the Ramp Lady is." Hayes said she got her nickname because she never sat in her assigned seat. Instead, she moved to the ramp to yell for the Tide. "I have no idea where my seat is … hell, I don't know where my seat is tonight," she said. With Ramp Lady attending so many Bama functions, most would think she's a Tuscaloosa resident, right? Wrong. "I still stay in Prattville, I drive up here for anything," she said. "I never went to the University, I just grew up bleedin', living and breathing Crimson Tide football," I then ask if she had any "conflicts" with other schools' fans. Half expecting to be in the direct line of a Ramp Lady tirade, I slowly ease away as her husband walks up. Much to my surprise, she replies calmly. "I can," she said. "At the Auburn game, I was just following the students … I didn't start it … come Monday morning, some lady picked me out and said I started the whole thing … I was just following the students' lead. If they start tonight, I'll be doing the same thing." I was amazed at her final comments. Amazed but not surprised. I trudge my way back to my seat, thinking about her statement that the students were the root of Alabama fans' exuberance. I was not surprised at that. I was appalled. I sat back and thought of the times I saw students disrespect other fans. I always chalked it up to youthful exuberance. I always expected it to be just another part of the fan experience, but it's not -- it's a problem. In retrospect, I began to see that if what Ramp Lady said is true, then she isn't the problem, we students are. Chad Hullett can be contacted at [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ RTF mailing list RTF@rolltidefan.net http://rolltidefan.net/mailman/listinfo/rtf_rolltidefan.net _______________________________________________ RTF mailing list RTF@rolltidefan.net http://rolltidefan.net/mailman/listinfo/rtf_rolltidefan.net
